title: Gas chromatographic measurement of cocaine in serum, plasma and whole blood.
abstract: A gas chromatographic method is presented to measure cocaine in serum, plasma or blood. To reduce the in-vitro chemical and enzymic hydrolysis of cocaine, samples should be collected into fluoride oxalate tubes, frozen immediately and stored at -20 degrees C until analysis. Extractions are carried out in disposable glass tubes immersed in an ice-bath. The method uses a single step extraction from a mildly basic solution into n-butyl acetate containing maprotiline internal standard. A portion of the upper organic layer is chromatographed for 5 min isothermally on a packed column (3% SP2250) with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. The coefficient of variation (CV) of the assay is below 6% at 0.1 mg/L and the limit of accurate measurement is 0.02 mg/L. A case of acute cocaine intoxication is described to illustrate the application of the method.
authors.affiliation: Poisons Unit, Guy's Hopital, London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dawling
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Essex
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Widdop
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002138:Calibration; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003042:Cocaine / Q000097:blood* / Q000506:poisoning; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008376:Maprotiline; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008376:Maprotiline; D003042:Cocaine